Broncos spring selection surprise

Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett has pulled his first selection surprise of the season naming representative fullback Karmichael Hunt at halfback for Friday night's National Rugby League season opener against the Cowboys.

Hunt will wear the No.7 jumper in a bid to combat the threat of North Queensland's chief playmaker Johnathan Thurston who played his way into the Australian halfback job in last year's Tri Nations series.

Bennett has named centre Justin Hodges at fullback where he played so well for Brisbane in last year's grand final win over Melbourne.

Promising youngster Joel Moon finds himself thrust into the centres to cover for Hodges while grand final halfback Shane Perry has been relegated to the bench.

Hunt played several trials at halfback in the 2006 pre-season before Bennett plucked Perry from Redcliffe and handed him a shock starting role.

He has trained at halfback this week and again filled in there on Tuesday when Brisbane went behind locked gates at Suncorp Stadium for a private session to rehearse moves for Friday night's clash.